Parents of young children know to "baby-proof" their homes, blocking electrical outlets from tiny fingers, locking up medications, moving household items with sharp edges, putting up gates at worrisome doorways, etc. Like these parents, bird owners must look at their surroundings with a keen eye to prevent harm to their companion birds. Here are some things to consider:

Dangers of Teflon Poisoning to Pet Birds

by Angela S. Young

Gourmet cooking is dangerous to the health? Yes it is when you use Teflon and other non-stick cookware. It is dangerous to your bird's health. If you own a bird, you may want to learn about the problem of Teflon poisoning for pet birds. According to a warning about Teflon Poisoning, the advent of Teflon and its use in cooking may be hazardous to your pet's health.

This site tells of birds, perfectly healthy before, dying after the owner throws a gourmet dinner party. Research led to the conclusion that the Teflon, present in most gourmet cookware, "releases fumes when heated." The sensitive birds, inhale the fumes and their lungs begin to hemorrhage, causing a quick death. All birds are sensitive to fumes of any kind, and your first warning may be watching your beloved pet fall or struggle to breathe. For this reason, it is important to learn about Teflon poisoning and avoid harming your pet bird.

While fumes will not be created the majority of the time, it is still something to watch if you own a bird. The fumes are created when a pan reaches a very high temperature, such as might happen when an empty pan is heated on a stove. It is best to make sure your Teflon pans never overheat, and for extra safety, make sure your bird is not in the room where you cook. Damaged and scratched pans as well as older pans may emit fumes at lower temperatures.

Teflon toxicity or PTFE Toxicosis, effects birds because they have delicate respiratory systems. Drs. Foster & Smith point out that the "signs of PTFE toxicosis are non-specific." This means you may have no way of knowing what caused the distress of your pet bird. Just as toxins can harm the lungs of humans, these toxins can cause problems for pet birds, from pneumonia to death.

Taking your bird away from the kitchen may not be enough to protect your pet. You can find PTFE (polytetraflouroethylene) on "non-stick pots, pans, and other cookware; Stain repellants; Space heaters and heat lamp covers; Non-stick irons and ironing board covers; Hair dryers; Non-stick oven drip pans and broiler pans; Non-stick griddles, woks, waffle makers, electric skillets, tortilla presses; Non-stick hot air corn poppers, coffee makers, bread makers; Non-stick slow cookers, roasters, pizza pans; and Ceramic cooking stoves."

Should you notice a problem with your bird's breathing, "turn off the heat, take the cookware outside, and place it on a nonflammable surface, such as concrete, and away from children and pets." Then open windows and turn on all exhaust fans. If your bird is still alive, medical help will be necessary. An avian veterinarian will administer oxygen, antibiotics and a mild diuretic while waiting to see if the bird will survive.

The best way to take care of your pet bird is to make sure he or she is never exposed to these chemical fumes. Do not use coated cookware if you keep your birds in your kitchen. When a pan does overheat, move your birds as far away as you can as quickly as you can. Throw away old or damaged Teflon ware, and do not leave an empty pan on the burner or let food burn in a Teflon coated pan or appliance. Remember that birds have delicate lungs, and keep their world fume free. Prevention is the key to protecting your bird from the hazards of Teflon poisoning.

Household Toxins 

FACTS ABOUT CLIPPING BIRDS' WINGS:

Clipping a bird's wings is safe and painless when done correctly. If you do not know how to do it yourself, find a pet shop that specializes in birds and have them do it for you. Often a bird will resent being handled during wing clips, and having it done by another person allows the bird to feel any ill-will towards the bird-groomer and not you.

Birds CAN FLY with clipped wings...a clipped bird IS NOT ESCAPE PROOF! They are slowed down, and they fly lower and clumsier, but are still potential victims to household hazards: open windows or doors, and other animals. Watch for clipped feathers to molt out...new feather re-growth can happen very fast, creating a wing with full-flight capabilities. NEVER CLIP A PIN-FEATHER! (see "C") This opens up the vein and the bird can bleed to death. Wait until the feather is all the way grown in, opened and hardened. While your bird is growing new flight feathers; and they have an active blood supply; restrict time out of the cage.

GUIDELINE FOR CLIPPING BIRDS' WINGS:

Clipping a bird's wing requires very sharp scissors (smaller size may be best.) Hold the bird securely but gently, taking care not to close your hand over the bird's chest (this will prevent breathing and bird will panic.) Clip the grown-out primary feathers back until they meet the edge of the secondary feathers. This will yield a neat, blunt clip. Optional clip is to leave the first two primaries - marked here as "A" and "B" - to give a visually full looking wing. (the clipped bird above right was not very attractively clipped. They took the primary flight feathers off. When his wing is folded back against his body, it will not be as visually appealing.) DO NOT LEAVE outer primaries on strong fliers, i.e. cockatiels.

Dogwood 

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Poinsetta